Dog friendly Cornwall

Dogs love Cornwall and frankly Cornwall loves dogs. The reason is simple. We’ve got miles and miles of long sandy beaches, acres of rugged moorland, loads of dog friendly pubs and restaurants and plenty of accommodation where you’ll find your canine chum is more than welcome. So there’s no need to pack the pooch away in a kennel, let him or her get a real taste of the outdoor life on a great dog friendly holiday in Cornwall.

Say goodbye to sedate walks around the park for a while because here in Cornwall there are hundreds of miles of space - wide open real space - to bound about with new smells to experience, golden sand to dig up, big waves to splash around in and plenty of other wet nosed, waggy tailed friends to meet on the way. There are around three hundred beaches dotted around the Cornish coast and in winter almost all are open to dogs and although in summer access to dogs is restricted in some areas, you’ve still got eighty five where you’re more than welcome to let Rover run free.

In fact Cornwall seems to like dogs so much that during the year you’ll find lots of village fetes and fairs that have dog shows ranging from a bit of fun to find out which mutt has the shiniest coat or a face like a celebrity to more serious affairs where your dog’s pedigree may come into play! And even if you’ve got an old timer who’s a bit shaky on his legs, you can hire a special doggie carriage to pull or attach to the back of a bike and take them on one of Cornwall’s great multi-use trails so they won’t have to miss any of Cornwall’s glorious countryside…how great is that?

So, down on the coast or inland through woodland and across the moor, you and your dog are going to have a brilliant time.

How to use this website for dog friendly holidays and find dog friendly places to stay, dog friendly beaches, and dog friendly attractions and places to visit

Open the Customise your visit tool in the right-hand top cornwall of the screen and click the dog friendly icon to apply the dog friendly filter. Once this filter is applied all content presented in search results will be for dog friendly breaks throughout Cornwall.

You can also use the "dog friendly" tick box on the left-hand menus.

Dog welfare

If you are planning to bring your dog on holiday to Cornwall it is essential that you confirm your holiday accommodation provider's policy on accepting pets before you leave. Consider what to do with your dog whilst visiting attractions or eating in restaurants that don't welcome pets, and how you are going to travel around Cornwall.

Never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle, even for a short while, when its warm or hot outside. The temperature inside your car will double that outside in 6-10 minutes. Dogs will quickly suffer from heat exhaustion and possibly die. If you do see a dog left in a car on a warm day and it appears to be distressed, call the RSPCA on 0870 5555999 or the Police on 08452 777 444. They will take the appropriate action and, if necessary, break into the car to release the animal. If you should have to leave a dog in a car for a short time, leave a note stating your time of return. AND RETURN ON TIME! Otherwise an embarrassing rescue operation may be launched by a concerned passer-by.

Dogs, particularly elderly ones, should be exercised in the early morning and late evening to avoid over-exertion in hot weather. All dogs are required by law to wear a collar and tag bearing the name and address of the owner. If you are on holiday, it is a good idea to have a temporary tag with your holiday address on it. If you lose your dog, please contact an appropriate local council as soon as possible.

A dog ban operates on some Cornish beaches from Easter Sunday to 1 October. Check our beaches pages for more detailed information. If you have lost your dog please contact the Cornwall Council Dog Warden Service on 0300 1234 212.